Vehicle&#39;s air-bag injury protection system

ABSTRACT

Air bags in vehicles, upon exploding when a collision occurs, can injure one&#39;s face and head. To avoid such bodily injury to a motorist, a soft pillow of the proper size is attached to the top of the steering wheel. The pillow, with a rip-resistant, fire and water resistant enclosure, may be removably attached to the steering wheel by means of either velcro or snap-on fasteners. Such pillows for bodily-injury protection may be attached to other passenger injury, vulnerable locations of a vehicle, removably fastened. In the event of a collision with an object, now the soft pillow will strike the person first instead of the air bag&#39;s plastic cover. The top of the soft pillow, with perhaps an elastic, expandable puncture-resistant enclosure, could be ornately, colorfully, pleasingly decorated with flowers, birds, butterflies, berries. The pillow may be attached to a steering wheel without an air bag, using the illustrated straps.

[0001] This is not a continuation-in-part of a previous application, and not a co-pending.

RIGHTS TO INVENTIONS MADE UNDER FEDERALLY-SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

[0002] None of the work on this invention was performed under any Federally-Sponsored or State-Sponsored research and development. Gabriel used his own resources on every phase of his project.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] 1. Field of the Invention

[0004] This invention is in the field of the avoidance of bodily injury for passengers in a vehicle, should a collision occur. Specifically it is on improving the vehicle's air-bag protection system. Presently, when the air bag suddenly inflates, its plastic cover plate flies out disintegrating and its pieces could injure a motorist or his passenger. With the improvement to the air-bag, the motorist is protected from injury by a pillow added-on and attached to the cover plate. The pillow's enclosure is rip-resistant, elastic or expandable, water and fire resistant, as well as replaceable, when worn and needing repairs. Similar pillows may be mounted at other injury vulnerable locations of the vehicle. No matter where they may be mounted, the pillows are removably-attached to a surface, so they may be replaced. The top surfaces of the bags could be decorated colorfully with pleasing patterns, including flowers.

[0005] 2. Description of Prior Art

[0006] The inventor is only aware of patents pending and issued under his name that relates to his present invention. The pending patents are Ser. No. 09/722,236, dated Nov. 27, 2000 and Ser. No. 09/XXX XXX, dated Jan. 2, 2001, entitled, “Bodily-Injury Protective Clothing and Accessories for Outdoors and In A Vehicle”. He does not have any issued patents on this subject matter. Regarding protective clothing for forceful impact, one could refer to U.S. Pat. No. 5,477,558 dated Dec. 26, 1995, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,089,065, dated May 16, 1978.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The auto air bag has been known to cause injury to the motorist's head when suddenly inflating, sometimes causing one's nose to break.

[0008] A simple technique has been devised to avoid bodily injury to a motorist or to his passenger when an air bag inflates. The technique is to attach a pillow to the top of the steering wheel or to the top of any air bag plastic cover in the vehicle. Thus, when the plastic cover flies off to allow the air bag to inflate, the pillow strikes the head first, instead of the plastic. Thus, the motorist is spared injury. The pillow may be attached to the top of the concealed auto air bag, by either velcro strips, by snap-on fasteners or by any other convenient means, so it can be replaced, when worn or soiled. The pillow's cover would be water and puncture resistant, and could be decorative, so as to be pleasing to the eye and match the coloring and decorations inside the vehicle. The plastic cover breaks into two equal pieces when the air bag inflates. Hence, in the final design, the protective pillow has been divided into two pillows, one pillow to go with half of the plastic cover and the other pillow with the other half, when the air bag suddenly inflates.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0009] For the purpose of illustrating the bodily-injury protection technique for preventing the auto bag from hurting the motorist when suddenly inflating, the following drawings show forms which are presently preferred:

[0010]FIG. 1 is a top view of the pillow.

[0011]FIG. 2 is a side view thereof.

[0012]FIG. 2A is another side view showing the location of the Velcro strips, underneath the pillow.

[0013]FIG. 3 is another top view of the pillow.

[0014]FIG. 4 is a side view thereof, showing ears at its four corners, with snap-on fasteners attached. The auto air bag's cover would have the bottom portions of the fasteners attached, so the snap-on fasteners could be attached thereto, and that the pillow could be removable.

[0015]FIG. 4A is another side view of the pillow.

[0016]FIG. 5 is a top view of the pillow with straps extending from its four corners.

[0017]FIG. 6 is a side view thereof.

[0018]FIG. 7 is a top view of the pillow with suction cups fastened, one at each of its four corners.

[0019]FIG. 8 is a side view thereof.

[0020]FIG. 9 shows a three-dimensional picture of a vehicle's interior with energy-absorbing pillows mounted on critical positions, including on the steering wheel, to avoid bodily injury of occupants in the event of a collision with an object.

[0021]FIG. 10 shows a perspective side view of an elongated pillow which can be inflated.

[0022]FIG. 11 is a two-dimensional end view of the pillow of FIG. 10.

[0023]FIG. 12 is a plan view of a steering wheel with an auto air bag enclosed, and two pillows on top.

[0024]FIG. 13 is a sectional view thereof across line 13-13.

[0025]FIG. 14 is another plan view of a steering wheel with two pillows on top.

[0026]FIG. 15 is a top view of one of the pillows in FIG. 14.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0027] FIGS. 1 to 4A show different views of pillows for attachment to the covers of auto air-bags, for bodily-injury protection of auto passengers in case of the sudden inflation of the auto's air bag.

[0028] FIGS. 1 to 2A show the top, and side views of one configuration of the pillow 1 in which the pillow's bottom side is attached to the air bag's cover by means of Velcro strips 2. FIG. 1 is the bag's top view, while FIGS. 2 and 2A are side views, showing locations of Velcro strips 2.

[0029] FIGS. 3 to 4A show the top and side views of another configuration of pillow 3, in which the pillow is attached to the air bag's cover by means of snap-on fasteners, so the air bag would be removable and replaced. In FIG. 3, the top view, pillow 3 is shown with green strips and has a ear 4 at each corner with snap-on fasteners 6 attached. FIG. 4 shows a side view of pillow 3 with ears 4, while FIG. 4A shows another side view of pillow 3.

[0030]FIG. 5 shows a top view of pillow 7 with straps 8 and 9 attached to its four corners. These straps could be Velcro straps and these pillows could be placed in other injury susceptible interior portions of the vehicle, other than the top of the steering wheel.

[0031]FIG. 6 is a side view thereof.

[0032]FIG. 7 shows a top view of pillow 10, decorated with green stripes. This pillow has suction cups 11 mounted, one at each one of its corners. This pillow could be placed in other injury susceptible interior portions of the vehicle, other than the top of the steering wheel, as shown in FIG. 9.

[0033]FIG. 9 shows the three-dimensional interior of a vehicle with a pillow such as shown in FIG. 1 with Velcro strips adhering to clinging pile on the plastic surface of the auto air bag cover. FIG. 10 shows an elongated air bag 16, decorated with green stripes. This bag can be inflated with air via air valve 18. This bag shows a Velcro strip 17 in FIG. 11 attached to its back side for adhering to clinging pile. Variations of this air bag in site are shown in the vehicle's interior, FIG. 9, at various injury vulnerable locations and identified by numerals 13, 14 and 15.

[0034] If the auto does not have an inflatable air bag, pillow 7, shown in FIG. 5, could still be attached to the steering wheel by Velco straps 8 and 9, so a person's head would hit the pillow instead of the bare steering wheel or the auto's windshield. Simultaneously, either pillow 1 or pillow 16, FIG. 10, could be installed in front of the passenger's side of the auto, as shown in FIG. 9, with Velcro adhering to clinging pile on the surface to which either pillow 7 or pillow 16 would be attached.

DESCRIPTION OF ANOTHER PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0035] When an auto air bag suddenly inflates, its plastic cover breaks into two pieces which fly in opposite directions. Consequently, it is desirable to have two smaller pillows, side by side on the vehicle's steering wheel, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the top and side views, respectively. FIG. 13 is a cross-section view along line 13-13 of FIG. 12, showing pillows 21 and 21′, side by side, attached to the plastic cover by either Velcro or snap-on fasteners, located underneath pillows 21 and 21′. The velcro 22 is shown in dashed lines, FIG. 12. The outside diameter of wheel 19 of some vehicles, such as the GEO PRIZM by GM measures 14⅝ inches. That would mean pillows 21 and 21′ need to be smaller in size on their longer dimensions, to fit inside the wheel's rim, as shown in FIG. 12. Their height, shown in FIG. 15 has a limitation, too, in order not to obscure the motorist's view in front. Their height needs to be sufficient to provide head and face injury protection, when the air bag suddenly inflates. The two pillows would be filled with soft cotton, sponge rubber or other energy-absorbing soft material. The pillows' covers need to be water, puncture and rip resistant, as well as being non-inflammable, such as Cornell/Robbins reinforced bags, item O FLAT, size 6″ by 10″. The air bag's plastic cover is identified by numeral 20, FIGS. 12 and 13. The two pillows are removable by simply pulling up on pillows 21 and 21′, by their horizontal ends.

[0036] Now when a collision occurs between the vehicle and an object, cover 20, broken in two, could hit an object within the vehicle without causing injury because of pillows 21 and 21′ striking first.

[0037] In FIG. 14, the steering wheel 19′ is shown with an elongated indentation 23, along which plastic cover 28 breaks into two halves, when a collision occurs, allowing air bag underneath to suddenly inflate. FIG. 14 shows the top view of steering wheel 19′, of a GEO PRIZM Chevrolet. Pillows 24 and 25 cover wheel 19′ above and below indentation 23, respectively. The pillows are held on to the top of the steering wheel by Velcro strips underneath each pillow, 24 and 25, and by Velcro straps 26 and 26′. Now, when a collision occurs plastic cover 28 breaks into two pieces with a pillow attached to each half. When a plastic cover half flies in the air its attached pillow strikes an object instead of the plastic, shattering when it strikes. Now no shattering of plastic occurs because of the soft pillow making the contact. Hence, injury to auto passengers is avoided. To remove either pillow 24 or 25, simply peel off strap with Velcro 26 or 26′.

[0038]FIG. 15 shows a detailed drawing of one of the pillows 25, with Velcro strips 28 attached to its underside. End of strap 26′ folds around rim of steering wheel 19′. 

I claim:
 1. An air-bag, bodily injury protection apparatus for a vehicle, wherein the vehicle's existing air bag has a pillow attached to the air-bag's cover, said apparatus being a pillow, removably attached to the cover of said air bag, said pillow being present for enabling motorist's head initially to make contact with said pillow rather than with said air bag's cover, thus sparing injury to the motorist's head by said cover.
 2. An air-bag bodily-injury protection apparatus for a vehicle in accordance with claim 1, wherein said pillow being attached to said cover of said air bag by velcro strips so that said pillow may be removed and replaced, when in need of repair.
 3. An air-bag, bodily-injury protection apparatus for a vehicle in accordance with claim 1, wherein said pillow being attached to said cover of said auto air bag by snap-on fasteners, so that said pillow may be removable and replaced, said fasteners not interfering with the air bag's operation.
 4. An air-bag, bodily-injury protection apparatus for a vehicle in accordance with claim 1, said vehicle has a steering wheel wherein said pillow being attached to said cover of said steering wheel by means of straps which are capable of being removed, so that said pillow can be replaced, said straps not interfering with the air-bag's operation.
 5. An air-bag bodily-injury protection apparatus for a vehicle in accordance with claim 1, wherein said pillow is filled with sponge rubber.
 6. An air-bag, bodily-injury protection apparatus for a vehicle in accordance with claim 1, wherein said pillow is filled with polyester fiber.
 7. An air-bag, bodily-injury protection apparatus for a vehicle in accordance with claim 1, wherein said pillow having an enclosure and said enclosure being fire, water and puncture resistant.
 8. An air-bag, bodily-injury protection apparatus for a vehicle in accordance with claim 1, wherein the enclosure of said pillow is colorfully decorated to be pleasing to the human eye.
 9. An air-bag, bodily-injury protection apparatus for a vehicle in accordance with claim 1, wherein the enclosure of said pillow having suction cups fastened to its underside, said cups adhering to said air-bag's cover by suction, and not interfering with said air-bag's operation.
 10. A bodily-injury protection apparatus for a vehicle, wherein said vehicle has a steering wheel and a soft pillow is removably attached to the top of said steering wheel, said pillow being able to protect the head of the motorist in the event of the vehicle's collision with an object and the motorist is thrown forward.
 11. A bodily-injury protection apparatus in accordance with claim 10, wherein said soft pillow is filled with cotton to enhance its softness.
 12. A bodily-injury protection apparatus in accordance with claim 10, wherein said soft pillow has an enclosure and is filled with both air and cotton, and said enclosure is air tight, water resistant, including puncture resistant.
 13. An air-bag, bodily-injury protection apparatus for a vehicle in accordance with claim 1, wherein a plastic cover fits over the vehicle's existing air-bag and when said air bag suddenly inflates said cover breaks into two pieces and wherein said apparatus includes two smaller pillows, one pillow attached to one-half of said cover and the other pillow attached to the other appropriate half of said cover.
 14. An air-bag, bodily-injury protection apparatus for a vehicle in accordance with claim 13, wherein said vehicle has a steering wheel and each said pillow includes Velcro strips attached to the underside of said pillow for adhering to clinging pile on the top of said plastic cover, said pillow also including a strap with Velcro to adhere to clinging pile on the rim of said steering wheel, said strap to enable a motorist to quickly and conveniently remove said pillow from said steering wheel, when needed to do so. 